A Day in the Country.....playing softball.....

what a way to spend the day.....
this Sunday, my birthday plus one, yea I know, one more year closer to being an old man, was spent in beautiful Flagler County Florida at their county fairgrounds....nothing like getting up at the crack of dawn to drive 30 miles to a softball tournement....got to the field on time and the girls got warmed up and the games started on time....great start to the day.....the kid's sister started in right field and then was moved to catcher in the third inning.....she made no errors catching the second pitcher and even got a good hit on her third at bat.....along about 10:30 a sound starts to come from the stock arena located about 400 yards north of us.....a LOT of stock trailers and BIG Ford trucks encircle the arena.....the kid's sister's team won the game and during the 2 hour game break I take a stroll to see what is the reason for the woman's voice on the loud speaker.....I walk into the first honest, authentic, down to earth, say a prayer to our God before it starts rodeo.....
after the opening prayer and the playing of the National Anthem with the girl on a buckskin circling the arena carrying the American Flag...the festivities began.....the show opened with a Ford 39A tractor 'dragging' the area for no less than 20 minutes.....then 5 cowboys, based on choice of clothing they were Wranglers I guess, spent another 15 minutes setting up polls down the center line of the area.....as the big guy, maybe portly is a better word, at the entrance was directing the placement of these poles, all I could think of ......move this way, no now that way, adjust the top....was he looked like a scottish sheep herder directing his dogs.....then the loud speaker woman started calling out names like an auctioneer.....guess you better know who you are to get your turn.....after several attempts to set the timer the show began.....a whole lot of good looking horse flesh,and a couple of likewise riders, spent the next 40 minutes racing up and down the line of poles weaving in and out to see who could do it the fastest time without knocking down a pole....10 second penalty for a knock down......saw a lot of horses and the people that ride them for show.....a culture that is so far removed from my life that culture shock was a reality for me today.....when I found myself attempting to rationalize how I could enter this world I quickly retreated to the ball fields and the world from which I came.....too much temptation to buy a BIG truck and BIGGER trailer and spend a couple of year's wages on horseflesh and....like I said, back to the ballfields.....the second game of the day was againest a high school team from Jacksonville Fla...the kid's sister started at catcher and spent the entire game behind the plate....caught the starting pitcher and despite her Mother's concerns, performed errorless.....made good contact againest an 18 year old pitcher and the game ended in a 3-2 loss.....not bad for playing againest older kids......another hour game break and then "batter up" was called for the final game.....the kid's sister again started behind the plate....caught the starting pitcher again.....the kid's sister has game....a couple of stolen bases on passed balls during this game, but nobody scored on her.....she even scored from second after reaching first on a slap hit...(softball term for an intential mis-hit in baseball)...same game...but different....Yogie would love it......along about the beginning of the last inning I received a phone call from the kid.....seems the job interview he went to was a success....he is the newest employee of the Halifax Plantation Country Club.....guess they were looking for a dish washer in the restaurant at the club house when the kid walked in.....so he starts his financial contribution to our government this coming Friday.....couldn't force him to wash the dishes last Friday and he starts doing it professionally this Friday.....
go figure.....the kid's sister had a great day on the ballfield and the kid got a job........so I guess this is what enables me to ........



CELEBRATE LIFE.......................today

THANK YOU

I wish there were more photos and space showing these veterans enjoying life as they have earned......and granted those of this Great Nation to enjoy....

Thank you Dad, Uncle Bill, Uncle Frank, Brother Bob, Brother Jim,

Brother Tom, and Sister Viola, for the freedom to enjoy the priviledge of your memories...

These Veterans and those unknown to us, enable us to........

CELEBRATE LIFE.......every day.....

THANK YOU

The root cause of most problems are set in Fun.....

Seems Uncle Bob has been a larger influence than I ever realized.....

"Never go out with a chick that needs a boost into your Jeep."


Thanks Bob......

well, the cause of my overtime repairs to the kid's CJ are finally known to me...



hot damn.....................another reason to ..........

.........CELEBRATE LIFE......

Where are we now...???

As I have spent the better part of the past week fixing a broken jeep.....cleaning mud and oil and grease off 46 year old parts...it dawned on me that I needed one of these....wonder if the longroofan has one of these stuffed in he closet.......

STRESS....two broke jeeps in the driveway....

STRESS LEVEL....HIGH ALERT....

very high the past two weeks....

two broke jeeps in the driveway.......
one leaks oil like the Exxon Valdez....
the other doesn't have enough power to carry it's self across the street......
the blond I live with is going ballistic...
THE DRIVEWAY LOOKS LIKE CRAP.....
tore into the Valdez this AM...got into the left front as far as the spindle bearings....cross threaded spindle nut ruins a quick bearing repack and knuckle seal replacement in a heartbeat....
realizing that I am not going to get the kid's jeep on the road, I disassemble the right front as the kid removes the carb from the 46....
seems it doesn't want to run at anything over an idle since the weekend playing in the mud....

a quick cleaning does the 46 no good whatsoever....

off to the raceguy's house for help....

three beers....four take aparts and put together agains...one more beer and one more take apart and put together again.....thanks Vince for FINALLY showing up....
the 46 runs like a top....
seems the float was not set correctly....

I HATE IT WHEN THAT HAPPENS....

but at least the kid has a ride to school this week while I locate spindles.....


CELEBRATE LIFE..........